Harness-snap



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES DUNNING TUCKER, OF SIERRA MADRE, CALIFORNIA.

HARNESS-SNAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 559,233, dated April 28, 1896.

Application filed A ril 12, 1895. Serial No. 545,473. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES DUNNING TUCK- ER, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Sierra Madre, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Harness-Snaps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates tothat class of harness-snaps in which a spring-pressed reciprocating bolt is operated by a stud working in a slot opening from the bolt-socket in the shank at the front or open side of the hook. This form of hook is preferable for the reason that in the ordinary operation of the snap it is most convenient to have the stud project at the open side of the hook, the rearwardlyprojecting back of the hook forming a suitable rest for the forefinger to press against while the thumb is used at the other side of the shank to retract the bolt.

The object of my invention is to provide a bolt of this convenient form which will fully obviate all danger of accidental release of the bolt, which is liable to occur with the former hooks of this form by the horse rubbing the snap against a post or other object.

My invention comprises a snap-hook provided with the ordinary bolt-socket and with the stud-slot in the shank at the open side of the hook, and provided with a projecting shield extending from the shank and over the slot at the rear margin of the opening of the hook.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a snap embodying my invention, showing the lockingbolt in its locking position. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the snap, showing the locking-bolt withdrawn from its locking position.

In the drawings, A represents the body of the snap, which is of the usual construction and comprises the hook at and the tubular barrel to, in which is arranged the lockingbolt 13, which is provided with the projecting actuating-stud b, which slides .in a slot a, which is provided in the barrel. At the rear of this bolt the ordinary spiral spring 0 is arranged to normally force the bolt into its looking position, as shown in Fig. 1.

Secured to the body of the snap and projecting upward therefrom in such a manner as to protect the stud b when the locking-bo1t B is in its locking position, I provide a shield A, which is of greater height than the actuating-stud b, so that if the animal rubs the snap against the hitching-post or other object the shield will engage with the object and will prevent the stud from being engaged and forced backward, which would withdraw the bolt from its locking position.

In order to more effectually protect the stud, I arrange the shield A so as to partially chamber the actuating-stud, and I provide the rear of such stud with a notch b, which is arranged to receive the thumb-nail whereby the stud may be pulled back to retract the locking-bolt.

In order to allow the slotted barrel to be spread apart to allow the insertion of the locking-bolt into its position in the barrel, I make the shield A in two parts, as clearly shown in the drawings, one part being secured to one side of the slotted barrel and the other part being secured to the other side thereof. Thus when the slotted barrel in the process of manufacture is spread open in the ordinary manner to allow the introduction of the locking-bolt into the barrel the two members of the shield are free to be sprung apart, and when the sides of the barrel are again sprung back into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the shield is thus brought into its position to shield the actuating-stud.

Now having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is j 1. A snap-hook provided in its shank with the ordinary bolt-socket and with the studslot at the open side of the hook, and provided with a projecting shield extending from the shank at the end of the slot at the rear mar- 3. In a snap-hook, the combination of the hook provided with the slotted barrel; the shieldformed in two parts, one part being secured to each side of the slotted barrel and arranged to project across the slot; the locking-bolt arranged to reciprocate in the barrel and provided with the projecting actuatingstud arranged to slide in the slot in the barrel and to be partially chambered in the shield when the bolt is in its locking position; and 10 the spring arranged to normally force the bolt into its locking position.

JAMES DUNNING TUCKER. Vitnesses WM. B. ORIsP, RUSSELL MCOALLUM. 

